Ask Farrell: Which struggling class could climb from bottom of rankings?

So often the top teams in the recruiting rankings are discussed but the programs that rank toward the bottom of each conference are largely forgotten as they’re mired in mediocrity heading into the season.

For some, it’s a huge opportunity to get players on campus and to land commitments. It’s a time for patience and not rushing out and taking pledges to load up the recruiting class too early.

But other times it’s a sign that recruiting is not exactly going all that well for any number of reasons and there could be a concern heading into the fall.

MORE ASK FARRELL: Can USC get back in the mix for Justin Flowe?

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State

CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals100 | Position | Team | State

In the Power Five conferences, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Baylor and Utah are currently at the bottom of their respective conference's recruiting rankings.

The Hokies are the only team in the ACC without double-digit commits. Rutgers and Vanderbilt are the only programs in the Big Ten and SEC, respectively, with no four-star pledges.

Baylor is last in the Big 12 and Utah has only five total commits whereas every other team in the Pac-12 has at least 10.

We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell which of the above-mentioned teams surprises him the most that they’re struggling so much late in the summer and which one has the best opportunity to turn it around to piece together an impressive class?

FARRELL'S TAKE

“I’m surprised that Utah is struggling so much since the Utes have been somewhat successful in recent years and one of the trendy picks in the Pac-12 this season. Of course they have a recruiting disadvantage without a lot of home-state talent but I felt they would be further along in 2020 at this point.

"The team I think can turn it around is Virginia Tech. I know recruiting hasn’t been strong there consistently but the Hokies are still an elite program with an amazing fan base and compete in a conference division where they could make some noise. The Hokies just need to get back to landing elite players from Virginia, Maryland/D.C. and dip into the Carolinas as they have in the past and they will be just fine. It’s harder now than it was before teams like Clemson and Alabama came into their territory but they can still keep some top players.”